Nuechtegailchen

Luxembourgish

Alternative forms

  • Nuechtigailchen (alternative standard), Nuechtegällchen (now dialectal)

Etymology

Diminutive in -chen of Middle High German nahtigal(e), from Old High German nahtigala, from Proto-West Germanic *nahtigalā. The unexpected diphthong perhaps through association with the verb geilen (to mock), from Middle High German gīlen. The song of the nightingale can sound a bit like laughter.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈnuə̯ɕtəˌɡɑɪ̯lɕən]

Noun

Nuechtegailchen f (plural Nuechtegailercher)

  1. nightingale